COVID-19

How Do We Get People To Come Back to the Library? Four Ideas That Can Help You Rebuild Use of Your Library

Here is something I’ve noticed in my conversations with library staff over the past six months.

Staff share a profound feeling of separation from their communities. They’ve been working for more than a year without the normal interactions with the public. And that has led to increased anxiety about whether things will ever return to normal.

The big questions I’m getting are: How long will it take before circulation returns to normal? How long will it take before program attendance is back to where it was before the pandemic?

I can’t answer those questions. I’m not sure anyone credibly can.

But what I can do is help you to rebuild use of your library through marketing and promotions.

Here are four ideas that libraries can strategically use to bring people back to the library, re-engage cardholders, and get new community members to use the library.

Renew everyone’s library cards automatically and incentivize people to use them. Then, use that interaction to re-connect.

If you have a system where cards need to be renewed, a blanket automatic renewal is a great promotional tactic. Automatic renewal of library cards is a customer service best practice. And doing so right now, when we are coming off more than a year of service limitations, is strategically smart.

If your senior leaders have concerns about a blanket renewal, ask them to read Cordelia Anderson’s book. It explains the advantages of this action.

The next step is to gather prizes from partners, like you would for summer reading. Let people know they’ll be entered into a drawing to win a prize if they use their card. If they check out a book or use an online resource, they can fill out an entry. If your priorities are to drive attendance at in-person programs or to get people to physically come into a branch, you can tell people they get two entries in the drawing!

Once they come back, make sure you do everything you can to re-connect with these cardholders. Have your staff do three things with every person they interact with.

Get their email address.
Get them to self-identify their interests. Are they looking for help solving a particular problem, like finding a job? Are they looking for books for entertainment and relaxation? Ask your public to name at least one topic they would want more information about.
Give them a print piece of marketing material to encourage further use of the library. Don’t let them leave this interaction without something in their hands. Remind them that the library is open and actively providing service to your community again.

Rebuild a sense of community.

One of the things that library users said they missed most during the pandemic was social interaction. This is another opportunity for libraries to rebuild.

Rather than re-starting our one-off programs, let’s spend our energy putting together programs that everyone can participate in. Wider-ranging programs, which focus on getting large groups people to do an activity together, help to build a sense of community.

One idea: everyone reads the same book, or watches the same movie, or listens to the same piece of music. Then, your library creates ways for your community to share their thoughts and experiences around that group activity.

Another idea: ask your patrons to share their pandemic stories. Encourage them to share how they survived their time in lockdown, what they learned, and how the experience changed them.

Let the public know you’ll be posting their contribution on a special landing page of your website, and sharing them through social media and in email. You can even print short versions of the stories on a bookmark, which you’ll slip into holds and checkouts to encourage other library users to share their stories.

Finally, hold an event where people can have the chance to read their stories to an audience.

A shared experience builds community. And a community that feels connected to your library, and to each other, will keep coming back to use your services.

Use your virtual programs and videos to encourage your community to expand their library use.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, libraries have embraced livestream and video programming. Now we can use the platforms and audiences we have built for promotions.

Do a livestream from inside your building. Show your audience one thing they can do in your library that they haven’t been able to use since the building was closed or operating under limited services. Save the video and repost it later for on-demand viewing.

Do a livestream where the community can ask questions about the library… an “ask me anything” type event. During your livestream, be sure to mention programs or services that may be interesting to those asking questions.

It’s like working the front desk: people ask questions and you provide the answers. You’ll be demonstrating your staff’s expertise and reminding people that the library is there to help.

Buy two kinds of social media ads.

We know social media algorithms do not work in favor of organic posts. Use some of your budget to circumvent the system by purchasing ads.

Your ad approach can have two methods. One ad should focus on followers. They don’t necessarily see your posts because of the algorithm. But a purchased ad will make sure you are in their feeds. Use the ad to alert them to your expanded changes in service.

The other ad should be focused on people who aren’t library users or followers. You can even split this audience into people you think might be interested in coming into a branch versus people who might want to use digital resources. Social media platforms do a great job of helping you to target specific audiences with your ads.

Spend $25 and see what kind of results you get. If you have more money, use the data you’ve received from this smaller test to run larger, longer ads.

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June 14, 2021 3

COVID-19 is STRESSFUL for Library Workers. Here Are Tips to Help You Feel Better.

Watch Now

The Library Marketing Show, Episode 52

Angela talks about the stress that many library staff feel because of the pandemic. The worries in our personal and professional lives are causing us to feel overwhelmed. It’s okay. You are not alone. Here is a great study about how stress affects your brain. Angela shares her personal tips for coping with stress in this unique time.

Do you have tips or coping mechanisms? Please share them in the comments.

Also Kudos to Rutherford County Library System IT Administrator, Kevin Robertson, for creating this great “bounce back” page of resources for patrons. Kevin was nominated by Carol Ghattas of Linebaugh Public Library. Nominate someone to receive kudos by commenting on this post.

What did you think of this episode? Do you have an episode suggestion? Let me know in the comments. And subscribe to this series to get a new video tip for libraries each week!

July 1, 2020 6

How to Tackle Library Signage in a Pandemic and Make Visitors Feel Comfortable With Your New Rules

Photo Courtesy Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

Has your library physically reopened?

I am collecting the reopening experiences of library staff members of all levels. Whether your library is now doing curbside or drive-thru service, books by mail or in-person interactions, how are you, your coworkers, your supervisors, and your patrons handling new reopening restrictions? All comments are anonymous. I may use your comments in a future episode of the Library Marketing Show or a future blog post. Thank you in advance.

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Your message has been sent

When the pandemic forced libraries around the world to close their physical buildings, there was one major library marketing tactic that instantly became obsolete… signage. Suddenly, all the effort we put into the size of the sign, its design, and its placement vanished.

In my days working at a public library, signage was the most common marketing request from my fellow library staffers. It was a big deal. Everyone wanted a sign or a poster for their program. They wanted to put their sign in as many locations as possible.

When COVID-19 forced libraries to close, library marketing abruptly shifted to digital tactics. But now, as libraries move toward reopening, the debate over signage has returned to professional groups and library staff discussions. Signage is now crucial for communicating new rules about mask-wearing, social distancing, and time limits within physical library spaces.

In the old days, I would have encouraged staff to use less signage and do more talking with patrons. That’s not possible right now.

But we can still think strategically about how we place our signage, how it is designed, and how much of it we use. Here are some tips for planning your signage as your library moves toward reopening physical spaces.

Place the most important signs at the entrance, along with a staff member. My favorite neighborhood grocery store is small, like many library branches. I’ve been studying their signage and customer service model during the pandemic, and I think it is easily transferable to the library world.

The grocery store has a sign at the entrance informing patrons they must wear a mask and maintain social distance. They also have one masked staff member who stands six feet from the door, rain, or shine. This staff member points out the sign and ask the customer if they have any questions.

It’s incredibly simple but effective. It gives customers a chance to ask questions in a safer location–the exterior, where there is better ventilation and where it is easier to practice social distancing. It reduces staff interaction inside the store. Libraries might consider following this model to ensure that everyone entering the branch understands the expectations.

Map out your visitor’s journey through your branch. You’ll want to make it easy for people to understand how to get to your key service points while following the new social distancing rules. To do that, draw a bird’s eye view of your space. Then map out how you want people to move.

Walk the path yourself several times, noting where you need to put signs to maintain traffic flow. At each sign location, note how much space you have to work with and the color of the surface background. Do you need posters? Do you need laminated signs? Will you need plexiglass holders? Will you need double-sided tape? Then gather your supplies, make your signs, and place signage to facilitate a smooth flow of traffic.

Keep the map and the signage plan in a location where all staff can access it, so anyone can replace a sign when needed.

Create signs to make first-time visitors feel more at ease. Though the new rules may seem clear to you, or even to regular patrons, don’t underestimate the confusion your first-time visitors may experience. Some people will be unfamiliar with where to go or what to do when they arrive at your branch. Simple instructions such as, “Check out this way” or “Return Books Here” can make the difference between smooth traffic flow and potential bottlenecks.

Use color coding. Maybe you already have a color-coding system that your customers are familiar with. Use those colors as part of your new reopening signage to make your visitors feel at home in your library. Color coding of signage can be especially helpful in libraries with many departments and several floors of service.

If you don’t use color coding, pick a universally familiar scheme like red, yellow, and green to create a sense of direction within your branch. Use consistent color-coded signage from the entrance of your branch right through to the checkout to keep the flow of patrons going and minimize questions.

Use icons. Icons are common symbols that everyone can understand. Use icons with your text-based signage to make the new rules easy to interpret for everyone.

Use your digital signage. Libraries often use their digital signs to promote programs and collections. But you can also use those displays to communicate your new reopening restrictions.

Digital signage might also be used to encourage people to use an alternative service method like a drive-thru at a nearby branch. Post your new open and closing hours or updated information about the wait time to use a computer on your digital signage.

Don’t forget to use digital signage to help visitors understand the value of your library. A slide that demonstrates the online services your library provided during the pandemic will help your visitors to understand that your library staff was working even when your building was closed.

Be flexible. You may have done all your homework and put together an amazing signage plan. But it’s hard to predict every situation. None of us know exactly how people will interpret your signage until they enter your branch. Be ready to make changes to your plan to solve customer flow problems.

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June 15, 2020 3

Now is the Absolute BEST Time to Prove Digital Promotions are Essential for Library Marketing. Here’s How to Gather Evidence.

I had a wonderful conversation with a librarian from Canada this week. She heads technical services at her library. We were brainstorming about ways to market her library services, programs, and collection during the COVID-19 shutdown. And we both realized something. The pandemic is awful and scary. But it also affords one big opportunity for librarians and library marketers.

Now is the time to prove the value of digital promotions

The Marketing Rule of 7 states that a prospect needs to “hear” the advertiser’s message at least seven times before they’ll take action to buy that product or service. This marketing maxim developed by the movie industry in the 1930s. Studio bosses discovered that a certain amount of advertising and promotion was required to compel someone to see one of their movies.

What does the Marketing Rule of 7 have to do with your library? Digital promotion helps you fulfill the rule of seven. It’s the most efficient way to get your message in front of eyes in a variety of places.

In fact, if you’ve been thinking of slowing down the communication you do right now, don’t. Ramp it up! Your community needs to hear from you.

You should be sending more email to your cardholders. You should be posting to social media more frequently. You should be putting more notices about digital resources on the homepage of your website.

In this moment, we can accurately measure the results of digital marketing because of the lack of competition from more traditional means of library marketing, like book displays, flyers, and posters. No one is seeing those at this moment, because no one is coming into your physical library building. Digital results are easy to record.

And, if we take this unique moment to gather data to prove that our work yields results, we can provide solid evidence of our worth in the community. We may prevent layoffs and budget cuts. When this is all over, we can say the library was there–and people turned to it for help.

The libraries are closed, but the local council I work for has seen a 150% increase in people seeking library services online. They are a vital part of any community.
— David Owen (@davidowenauthor) April 17, 2020

Statistics to gather now to prove your worth later

Measure virtual program viewing. Many libraries are putting together great virtual programming, particularly story times. If you do live streaming or on-demand videos, be sure to gather metrics on views.

Some platforms will tell you how a person got to your video and some will tell you how long they watch. Most will give you demographics on your viewers, like their age, identified gender, and location. All will give you stats on reach, engagement, and follower growth.

All those data points are valuable. Start a spreadsheet now and track the results day by day. You’ll be able to prove that people watched, how they found out about the video, which videos they liked most, and how long your library held their interest.

Send more emails, and track results religiously. Your library can use email to promote everything from services to events to the collection. Tell your cardholders about the new eBooks and eAudiobooks in your collection. Use your email to drive usage of those hidden treasures in your library, like online homework help, streaming music, and resume or job-hunting databases. Then…

Tracks holds, checkouts, and usage for digital collection items. Be sure to write down how many holds and checkouts there are before you market, and one week after. It’s easy to prove the value of digital collection marketing when no one can walk into a library to check out a book. Every checkout is likely coming from your efforts!

Ramp up your social media posting schedule on two platforms. Social media is the second method most effective method for digital promotions. And it’s the best way for you to reach non-library cardholders right now.

Current research shows that people are Tweeting a lot more right now. With the amount of content on that platform, I would not recommend posting more frequently on Twitter. There’s too much competition and your posts are likely to get lost in the shuffle.

However, those same stats also show growth in use of LinkedIn and Pinterest during the pandemic. If your library is not posting on those platforms, now is a fantastic time to experiment and reach a new audience.

On LinkedIn, you can share collection items, services, and events that focus on job-hunting, career advancement, personal wellness, diversity, literacy, and entrepreneurship.

On Pinterest, post new eBooks and eAudiobooks added to your collection. If you have DIY, STEM-activities, or story time videos, you can also post those to Pinterest. People are using the platform for inspiration and to find activities to fill their time. Now is a great time to give them some content so they can discover your amazing library.

One more thing to do

Advocate to change your marketing emails from opt-in to opt-out. That means every cardholder who gives your library their email address, in the past or in the future, is on your marketing list. If they want to opt-out, they can (but they won’t!).

I know many libraries will find this to be a radical shift. Libraries worry about angering their cardholders by sending them emails. They don’t want to be one of the “bad brands” that sends spam. Many libraries have actual board policies making opt-in mandatory for emails.

Now is the time to advocate for change. Here’s why.

A library is NOT a business. The normal consumer sentiment about spam email does not apply to you. Your cardholders want your emails.

People love the library. They love what you offer them. They want to know what’s going on at the library.

You are not going to spam people or make them mad by sending them emails. Unwavering cardholder loyalty is the one big advantage libraries have over their competitors in the profit world. And we should use it!

In addition, people are accustomed to opt-out emails. They know that if they give you their email, you’re going to message them.

My argument for opt-out emails comes from lots of experience. When I worked for a public library, we sent marketing emails nearly every day of the week. My library’s unsubscribe rate was ZERO percent. I usually saw about 10-15 unsubscribes for every 10-thousand emails I send. Across the non-profit world, the average unsubscribe rate is about .19 percent, according to Smart Insights.

I worked the library outreach table at a book festival every year while I worked at the public library. Without prompting, customers asked about the library’s marketing emails. One lady said she heard her friends talking about them and wondered why she wasn’t receiving them! Several others mentioned they learned about new books and services from our emails. I had people GIVING ME their email addresses to check their status.

Do you think customers of other companies ask about their emails or talk about them with fondness to other customers? I never have, and I sign up for A LOT of marketing emails from other companies.

Start sending your emails to every customer. They want to hear from you! And you can track usage and circulation increases from those emails to help prove your library’s worth.

You might also want to read these⬇️

What Metrics Demonstrate Your Library’s Social Media Marketing is Working?

How to Reverse Engineer Your Library Marketing Social Media Audiences!

The One Social Media Shortcut That Can Tank Engagement and Cost Your Library in a Pandemic–or Anytime!

April 20, 2020 0